How to get on John & Ken.
I have no interest in performing - even on radio! Although I do love talk radio, I don't think I have the best voice, and get very self-conscious if I talk to more than one person at a time.But last week I did a cartoon for Slate on the swine flu and Mexico that you see here. Slate put it on the front page, and the firestorm started. If you've read me before you know that I am fanatical about copyright. I'm also without sympathy for bloggers who lack writing skill or subject matter, and then use "filler" like Youtube or photos or cartoons, to take up a lot of space and do the work for them.
Well one blogger stole it, another followed, and there were at least 5 blogs - another one today, titled Steal These, that took my © cartoons and used it, without attribution, or links, or permission, or payment, or anything at all. Of course I complained immediately, either in the comments or by email, and eventually to their ISPs, and I haven't stopped. But I wish I had a lawyer!
WHAT. BIG . BABIES. The bloggers were so incensed that I wanted to stop them from using my cartoons that they had stolen, they wrote about me again. And used more cartoons.
Did I mention that all of these blogs are hate liberal blogs? And every single one called me a racist, some of them in the post title? Not just once. 10 or 20 times. And 20 more times in the comments. Got hate mail, a death threat, a threat to find me and hit me (this was on a blog called a "feminist" blog, which described itself as "a safe space." Insane!!) I had 100s and then thousands of hits on my blog and website (I'm nowhere near the size of MS, so that was big for me.)
Anyway, you can read more about what I have to say about the cartoon in my blog, Why I Did It. But I was feeling so so awful about the poison all over me. A friend suggested I send the story to John & Ken. I was sure they wouldn't be interested, but he insisted, so I did on Thursday, and later that night the producer, Ray Lopez, wrote and invited me to be on the show at 4 on Friday!
I was hoping they would mention it, not have me talk about it...I was sick from nervousness, but long story short, they were very sweet, kind of like nice uncles! They described the cartoon very well, and told me to ignore the hate talk and racist label, and not give the hate blogs any power. I told them I wanted to do some about illegal immigration, but that now I felt like my first amendment right was curtailed, and I was afraid to.
Well, I think I said that. It's now up in podcast on their site, so you can listen to it for yourself. I'm too embarrassed to hear myself again. It's on the May 1 page, and you can see my letter to them (which, um, I didn't exactly want for the haters to see) and I mentioned Mayor Sam there!
The best part was finally getting some nice comments in my blog, and supportive emails. They even went to the Gocomics page to comment. Maybe it wasn't the best part: talking to them was pretty great.
I guess some readers here might not like this cartoon, either. That makes me sad. Mayor Sam commenters haven't always been that welcoming or friendly, but after having to spend time on those freaky free-association blogs, whose only purpose is to tear down and destroy, and pride themselves on being cesspools of hate and filth, I'd like to say this is a really great blog, and I'm proud to be a part of it.
Cartoon is ©D. Barstow, all rights totally reserved, with no permission at all to use elsewhere. One time use on this blog only.
Labels: donna barstow, editorial cartoon, racism
Posted by Cartoons @ 5/04/2009 11:57:00 PM
16 Comments:
I heard you on J&K. You didn't sound nervous, you sounded great.
Nobody cares.
Tintoretto, Titian, da Vinci, be damned Donna, it's your masterpiece thats being plagarized, and it's your devotion and talent that'll represent us on the John & Ken show.
I doubt that the copyright violators have much in resources beyond their computers so suing would not be cost-effective even if you could identify them appropriately; there just judgment-proof.
The bigger problem is that the so-called liberals are often bigger practitioners of "intolerance" and "pre-judgment" than those they criticize and they don't even see it.
One example, the gay marriage ballot initiative, had a lot of outright hate going to people for simply voting to oppose the "marriage" of gays. There was no case-by-case consideration of reasons, or any consideration, for that matter, nor was there any respect for any view different from that of the initiative's proponents. The relentless attacks against those in oppostion to the gay marriage issue demonstrated the idea of intolerance by people who have historically seen the evils of intolerance directly.
Posting anonymously both avoids receiving attacks beyond the posted columns, but also allows unfettered ability to launch attacks on such authors.
Welcome to the world of freedom and resulting paradoxes.
Ahh Los Angeles!!!
So far from God!
SO CLOSE TO MEXICO!!!!
Donna, you were terrific on J & K--and your cartoon totally ROCKS! Very clever- (wish I'd thought of it- HA!) Anyone trying to lay a guilt trip on you is a useless fool. By the way, when it comes to humor my personal rule is this: jokes directed at certain cultures, countries and ethnic groups should be expressed in direct proportion to the amount of financial charity we, the American taxpayers, afford them. Since we're virtually supporting a HUGE portion of Mexico's population as well as sending them BILLIONS every year for all their inumerable fuck-ups, Mexico is MORE than fair game! LET THE JOKES BEGIN--er, CONTINUE! And thanks again for the good laugh!
Awesome cartoon!
don't worry donna.
no one is going to steal this.
funny that you think a copyright mark is needed. i would guess you haven't had to sue anyone yet, or any time in the future. you flatter yourself DR. DEMING!
With all due respect, I would prefer to read something on how to stay away from John and Ken. Ick.
631, wow, you happened to listen. Thanks very much!
Very kind, 704.
1124, it's surprising to me, but I think you're right. In this case, all the blogs that I skimmed were all one voice, left, and obviously intolerant. (The legal definition of racist includes treating those of differing politics badly, too.)
Rita/Wally, you made my day! Really!
Thanks, 6:17.
714, and the others who disliked it, that's okay.
But I think you kind of missed the point. Several bloggers have ALREADY stolen it, which is what started this hoo-ha.
Why does Jim Alger drive around in a fake cop car with bulletproof siding and walk around flashing some "President of the United States of America" badge? Does Jim Alger work for Obama, or not? Did he move to Washington, D.C. or is that just a big lie? Is everything about Jim Alger a big lie?
Do you think Alger is the one hiding BHO's photos of the scare the crap out of New York aerial tour that the White House won't cop to?
So much for transparency.
Donna, Rita --
You are both scum of the Earth. Why people are as insecure as you both are is a mystery to me. What losers.
Choco of the Valley
You still can't get the captions right!!!
It should say, "Pablo, point to the capital of the Junited Estates."
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